Anne Hutchinson Quotes

Anne Hutchinson Quotes Anne Hutchinsons  religious ideas and leadership of others who held them threatened to create a schism in Massachusetts colony in 1635-1638. She was accused by her opponents of antinomianism (anti-law), undermining authority, and overemphasizing salvation by grace. She in turn accused them of Legalism - overemphasizing salvation by works and rules over individual conscience. Selected Anne Hutchinson Quotations As I do understand it, laws, commands, rules and edicts are for those who have not the light which makes plain the pathway. He who has Gods grace in his heart cannot go astray. The power of the Holy Spirit dwelleth perfectly in every believer, and the inward revelations of her own spirit, and the conscious judgment of her own mind are of authority paramount to any word of God. I conceive there lies a clear rule in Titus that the elder women should instruct the younger and then I must have a time wherein I must do it. If any come to my house to be instructed in the ways of God what rule have I to put them away? Do you think it not lawful for me to teach women and why do you call me to teach the court? When I first came to this land because I did not go to such meetings as those were, it was presently reported that I did not allow of such meetings but held them unlawful and therefore in that regard they said I was proud and did despise all ordinances. Upon that a friend came unto me and told me of it and I to prevent such aspersions took it up, but it was in practice before I came. Therefore I was not the first. I am called here to answer before you, but I hear no things laid to my charge. I desire to know wherefore I am banished? Will it please you to answer me this and to give me a rule for then I will willingly submit to any truth. I do here speak it before the court. I look that the Lord should deliver me by his providence. If you please to give me leave I shall give you the ground of what I know to be true. The Lord judges not as man judges. Better to be cast out of the church than to deny Christ. A Christian is not bound to the law. But now having seen him which is invisible I fear not what man can do unto me. What from the Church at Boston? I know no such church, neither will I own it. Call it the whore and strumpet of Boston, no Church of Christ! You have power over my body but the Lord Jesus hath power over my body and soul; and assure yourselves thus much, you do as much as in you lies to put the Lord Jesus Christ from you, and if you go on in this course you begin, you will bring a curse upon you and your posterity, and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. He that denies the testament denies the testator, and in this did open unto me and give me to see that those which did not teach the new covenant had the spirit of antichrist, and upon this he did discover the ministry unto me; and ever since, I bless the Lord, he hath let me see which was the clear ministry and which the wrong. For you see this scripture fulfilled this day and therefore I desire you as you tender the Lord and the church and commonwealth to consider and look what you do. But after he was pleased to reveal himself to me I did presently, like Abraham, run to Hagar. And after that he did let me see the atheism of my own heart, for which I begged of the Lord that it might not remain in my heart. I have been guilty of wrong thinking. They thought that I did conceive there was a difference between them and Mr. Cotton... I might say they might preach a covenant of works as did the apostles, but to preach a covenant of works and to be under a covenant of works is another business. One may preach a covenant of grace more clearly than another... But when they preach a covenant of works for salvation, that is not truth. I pray, Sir, prove it that I said they preached nothing but a covenant of works. Thomas Weld, on hearing of the death of the Hutchinsons: Thus the Lord heard our groans to heaven and freed us from this great and sore affliction. From the sentence at her trial read by Governor Winthrop: Mrs. Hutchinson, the sentence of the court you hear is that you are banished from out of our jurisdiction as being a woman not fit for our society.